Massage device



Patented July 15, 1924.

HALBERT L. I-IOARD, OF FORT ATKINSON, WISCONSIN.

MASSAGE DEVICE.

Application filed March 22,1919. "Serial No. 284,427.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HALBERT L. Home, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Fort Atkinson, in the county of J eiferson and State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Massage Devices; and do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, such as will enable persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the drawings hereto attached for disclosure as to details of construction.

My invention relates to a machine for massaging the special feeding tissues that adjoin the spinal cartilages and ligaments, so as to stimulate especially the restoration of the intervertebral disks when in an emaciated or diseased condition, thus removing pressure from the spinal nerves.

My invention further relates to a machine of the type referred to, and which may be operated by the person desiring treatment, so that the services of an attendant heretofore required in connection with the use of similar machines, are dispensed with.

The machine, in the general form of a table, is provided with a flexible covering which is held taut so as to support the body of the person, when reclining thereon, and devices for taking up the slack in the flexible covering are provided, so that the body of the recumbent person may rest at the proper level to enable the massage rollers, which are arranged to travel at the underside of the covering to perform their functions in a proper manner.

A reciprocating carriage is arranged in the frame-work and is adapted for longitudinal movement under the flexible covering upon which rests the patient to be treated. The carriage is equipped with massage rollers which are spaced so as to bear upon the back of the patient, in lines parallel with and at each side of the spine. The carriage with the massage rollers is moved by means of connections to a handle or bar, within easy reach of the patient when in position, on the table, so that treatment may be readily administered.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my massagin machine.

Tigure 2 is a plan view thereof, broken outtions.

through the flexible covering to show the carriage for the massage rollers.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

In the drawing, the frame or table A, is composed of legs a, side rails 11, end rails a and end cross bars 0,

The table is open at the top, and is covered with a suitable flexible fabric B, whichfor convenience in construction is formed in sec- The head section 5 and the foot section 5 are stretched over the table, and secured in place by attachment to the rails at in such manner that the said sections are maintained substantially level at all times.

The central section C of the covering is attached at one edge to one of the side rails a, and at the other edge to a rod 0, about which it may be wound so as to take up any slack, or to adjust the planethereof at the proper height with reference to the path traveled by the massage rollers, hereinafter described. The winding rod 0 is journaled in bearings .c, c on the side rail, and extends to the head of the frame, where it is passed through a guide 0 attached to the end rail. The outer end of the rodis formed as a crank 0 by means of which the rod may be rotated for the purposes mentioned. At a point near the crank, the rod 0 is provided with a ratchet 0 with which co-operates a pawl 0 connected to the frame. The said pawl, by its engagement with the teeth of the ratchet, will serve to hold the winding rod in whatever position of adjustment may be desired for the accomplishment of its purposes in holding the central section C of the covering at the desired height.

The spinal portion of the body of the person to be treated will rest upon the central, .7

section of the flexible covering, and I therefore have provided the means described for adjusting the plane of the said section to accord with the sensitiveness of the person using the apparatus. A pillow D will be placed at the head of the apparatus for the comfort of the user.

A bar E, extends longitudinally of the frame between the end cross bars m to which it is detachably connected by means of screws, as shown. The upper edge of this bar is beveled at each corner as indicated at e, and the lower edge is rounded at c.

A carriage F is mounted to have longitudinal movement on the bar E. This carriage-is composed of two-side plates 6 separated by spacers e and-between the plates are grooved supporting and guiding rollers 6 6 which travel on the beveled edge e of the bar F. A'yoke piece 6 is attached to the carriage by means otcap screws e, which pass through one branch or" the yoke, and into one of the'side plates 6 Brackets 6 e are placed at the inner sideof the branches of the yoke, so as to form forks, in which are journaled the massage rollers G. An end of one of the brackets 6 is extended below and curved at 6 so as to pass under the rounded edge e of thebar E, so as to hold the carriage to its path of travel on "the said bar. The cap screws 6 pass through the left hand branch of the yoke and the longer bracket e 'fan d secure the parts to thecorresponding side plate 6 The bendet the yoke is resilient and tends to separate the branches thereof, but a cap screw'e is employed to restrain the resiliency and hold the mes sage rollers when adjusted in the desired relation to each other.

Brackets H, depending from the side rails a, support the journalled ends it of a bail or. handle bar it, the central horizontal portion h 'of 'whichextends over the apparatus, and within reach. of the patient, so that he may easily grasp the same and thus move the massage rollers to efl'ect the desired treatment. A curved link it is journalled at its mid-length in the carriage F, and is also journalledat its ends in collars it, adjustable on the parallel side arms of the bail orhandle bar, so as to regulate the extent of movement of the carriage, under a movement of the said handle bar through a given distance.

In use, the patient reclines upon his back, and is supported in part by the flexible covering section C, and the massage rollers G, the patient taking a position with one roller at each side of his spinal column. If the handle bar is then reciprocated, the

rollers will-11love with a kneading pressure along the spinal portion of the body. It the body is sensitive, the roller pressure will, ofcourse, be relieved by increasing the tensionot the apron section C, to carry an increased portion of the load.

By meansoi' my improved apparatus, but very little manual effort upon the part of the patient to apply a very thorough massaging movement to the muscles and parts which it is desired to treat will be required.

Having thus described my invention, What I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a massage apparatus, a frame, a flexible support for the body of the patient while recumbent, a carriage longitudinally reciprocable in the frame, massage rollers mounted upon said carriage, and connections to the carriage whereby the latter may be operated to apply massage treatment to the body of the patient.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name at Fort Atkinson, Visconsin, this 19th day of March, 1919.

vHALBERT L. HOARI'). Witnesses:

IiARL A. Bowman, Gno. N. SENGBUsH. 

